Introducing Bradfords ‘Very, Very Cool’ Polite Bureaux
Next up in our Neotribe artist preview, we’re cranking the dial all the way up for Polite Bureaux, the fearless brainchild of broken-beat producer and razor sharp wordsmith Joe Smith. Joining him on stage are his sister, the magnetic Maya Lili, and rave obsessed live wire Viv Maher. Together, they unleash an intoxicating collision of spoken word, pounding electronic beats, and unapologetic punk energy.
Raised between London and Keighley, with Irish and Filipino-Malay heritage, Joe and Maya channel a life lived in motion into every track. Their father, poet Rob Smith, has shaped their lyrical fire, igniting themes of pride, stigma, and social struggle that cut straight to the bone.
Polite Bureaux isn’t just a band, they’re a genre-smashing force of nature. Think John Cooper Clarke trading lines with The Prodigy, Joy Division mood swings, and Underworld grooves, all wrapped in a DIY attitude that has already seen them sell out 100 limited-edition vinyls of their debut album/mixtape.
Their single Bradford a gritty, heart on sleeve collaboration with Bradford City of Culture has racked up thousands of views on Instagram and YouTube, and scored them a slot supporting Sunbird favourites HotWax and Loose Articles at Bradford Underground in January 2025. BBC Introducing and BBC 6 Music Mixtape are already in their corner, with Emily Pilbeam calling the track “very, very cool” and wondering if it’s destined for a big-time advert.
The countdown is on: their highly anticipated album EXCEPT YOUR SKINT drops 30th August, but you can get your first hit when new single ‘LIDL FIDDLE’ lands on 15th August.
We are beyond thrilled to have Polite Bureaux tearing up the Neotribe stage this year. Trust us this is a set you cannot afford to miss. You know the drill: grab your tickets now, before they’re gone.
This is Neotribe at full throttle. Don’t sleep on it, grab your tickets now while they last